Le Mans

Team Audi is very optimistic in claiming a possible eighth overall victory at the French Endurance Classic. Quite possibly the world’s most difficult endurance car race, it also acts as a test bench for new technology later used in street cars. Audi lines up this year for the third time with the R10 TDI which was unveiled at the end of 2005. This year while Audi may not be the fastest at the Circuit De La Sarthe they are gambling on efficiency and reliability for their tenth appearance in Le Mans. At a 30-hour endurance test in April, the team ran without problems. In addition the car is designed so that it can be repaired in the shortest possible time after collisions or accidents.

Dr Wolfgang Ullrich (head of Audi Motorsports) said, “We have seen from the results in both the LMS and ALMS the we can expect of of the most exciting Le Mans races.”

LE MANS, France — The Peugeot Team, perhaps not to the surprise of anyone who has been watching the sport this year, threw down a challenge to the rest of the world and in particular the Audi Team during qualifying today as it took the top three qualifying spots — and it was not even close for fourth place as the quickest Audi was four seconds behind the third fastest Peugeot and nearly six seconds off the pace of the top qualifying Peugeot (Lamy, Sarrazkin, and Wurz, A.).

Of course the Peugeot was fast last year as well as both of the Peugeot cars topped qualifying but were unable to translate their speed into a win as the vaunted Audis jumped the French team at the start of the 75th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans to win for a seventh time in eight years.

LE MANS, Fr — One day in the not too distant future you will be able to drive the famed Circuit de la Sarthe — and from the comfort of your living room — all the while competiting with the greats of the sport like Emanuele Pirro, Frank Biela, or any number of Le Mans driving greats — thanks to the integration of real-time GPS data with gaming software, at least so says Andy Lurling, founder of iOpener Media.

However, you may have to wait until Christmas or perhaps a little later to get your change to duel with the Audis and Peugeots since Mr. Lurling’s company will have its first game on the market by September — which in software development speak really means in time for the Christmas rush.

While there is much to the concept, don’t hold your breath — though if you believe in the idea you might want to invest a dollar or a euro or two in the company. A complete story on the concept can be found here.

Since it does allow for real time competition in motor sport events, it does mean that you could wind up racing against the Audi’s and Peugeots at Le Mans — and even winnining. Would they give out two set’s of trophies?